Wireless communication networks that comply with one or more versions of Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) standard 802.11 (e.g., 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11n) and/or which are WI-FI certified have gained widespread use in recent years. In 802.11n and WI-FI communication systems, the allocated (allowed) spectrum is usually divided into smaller channels, where at any given time each of the devices communicating with each other on a given network are only maintaining or confined to a single channel. For example the 2.4 GHz band is divided into 14 overlapping channels, each of width 20 MHz but spaced only 5 MHz apart. At the lowest end of the band channel 1 is centered on 2.412 GHz, and at the highest end channel 14 is centered on 2.484 GHz. Access to these channels is regulated by country or region, and not every channel is accessible in every country or region. For example, typically only three channels are accessible in the 2 GHz band in any given country or region. Similarly, IEEE 802.11n provides that the 5 GHz band can include 24 non-overlapping 20 MHz channels or up to 12 non-overlapping 40 MHz channels.
Performance of a wireless communication system can vary at any given time depending on the frequency (channel) being used and the signal environment. Factors that can affect the quality and/or speed of communication on a given channel include the number and strength of overlapping base service sets (BSS) on the channel, the level of interference on the channel, the presence of radar on the channel, etc. Therefore, many 802.11 and WI-FI communication systems include the ability to switch channels dynamically to obtain optimal performance.
However, the ability to identify the best channel at any given time, particularly during normal operation as opposed to at start-up, remains problematic. The present state-of-the-art is in need of improvement in this regard.